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It's Friday 13th - and World Kindness Day! How to take part... [INFOGRAPHIC]

There is no better day to practise a random act of kindness than on World Kindness Day, which is being celebrated globally on 13 November. Besides just being a good thing to do, kindness has been directly linked to good health – the simple act releases the feel good hormone oxytocin, which protects your heart by lowering blood pressure.

“It’s not just the apple that will keep the doctor away but kindness too,” says Andy Hadfield, CEO of forgood (www.forgood.co.za) an online social platform that connects people to Causes. “Giving back and doing good is a global trend, it’s become integral to work culture, with employees putting it high up on their list of work satisfaction criteria.”

Takes just a moment to be kind. Why not start on Friday 13th 2015? :) Visit www.forgood.co.za

Hadfield’s sentiment is backed by Trialogue, a corporate sustainability business that estimated an R8.2-billion CSI contribution by local businesses in the 2014 fiscal year. These findings are supported by The Charities Aid Foundation, which listed South Africa as the fifth highest climber on the World Giving Index in 2014 - 4.5-million additional South Africans gave up their time to do good over the 2013 survey The numbers are only set to rise with more and more individuals becoming active social citizens.

“Social activism is growing in South Africa, it’s no longer just about me and how I will benefit but about how all of us can benefit. The recent #FeesMustFall campaign is the perfect example of active social citizenship and it’s just the start,” says Hadfield. “We want to make positive change and create real value for Causes through rallying up the digital masses.”

Describing themselves as a social market place where skills, goods, services and information can easily be offered and asked for, forgood is a central hub for individuals, groups and Causes who want to become more socially active.

“There are some fantastic Causes doing amazing things across the country, all of them need help in one way or another – be it a volunteer’s time, goods, skills or services – however, there isn’t a central point that connects individuals or corporates with those Causes,” says Hadfield. “We’re the glue that links the one to the other and in so doing, we’re facilitatiing real value for everyone involved.”

How to be kind and do good? Visit forgood (www.forgood.co.za) and choose from the following options:

Sandisiwe has been the main breadwinner in her family for the past few years, her mother passed away five years ago and she takes care of her two younger siblings, aged eight and 10. In 2013 Sandisiwe matriculated with a Bachelors degree entrance. In 2014, thanks to a bursary from Harmony Gold, Sandisiwe began a social work degree at the University of Johannesburg. African Food For Thought NGO (www.afft.org.za) created a need on the forgood platform for Sandisiwe who needed prescription glasses – she was struggling to study as her glasses were four-years-old and needed to be replaced. As a result of the need created on the forgood platform, Sandisiwe was equipped with new glasses thanks to Sam Schneider Optometrists in Northcliff, who saw the need posted on the site and created an offer.

A student residence group was looking for a Mandela Day activity for 350 students, they decided to respond to a need created by a Cause on the forgood website. As a result of the connection, 350 students were put to work on Mandela Day at the Rare Diseases Society of South Africa.